When live takes a sudden turn
by Kay-san1ShinomoriMiyu
Summary: Mayaki has had a hard life. What will happen when she meets the kenshin-gumi? Yahiko falls in love. Will he get the girl? Find out!
1. A New Housemate

Facing the Truth  
  
A tale of Tragedy  
  
Kay-san: This is a story of a girl who has been throught many tragic hardships. Then she meets some people who will change   
  
her life forever. Hope u like it!  
  
======================================  
  
Mayaki was all alone. No friends, no family, no home. She wandered around Japan, acting cold-hearted and uncaring toward  
  
everyone she came across. She had been hurt and left to die. Yet she hadnt. Why? She always wondered why. Today started  
  
like any other day had for years and years. She woke up and started walking no where in particular, scowling at the ground   
  
as she walked, not looking where she was going. *BAM* she bumped into someone and fell to the ground, hard. She looked up   
  
to see a dark-haired smiling boy looking down at her(she fell down o.O) He held out his hand, and she reluctantly took it,   
  
as she had scraped her arm up a bit. "Watch where ur going!"she growled at him. "I'm sorry, are u okay?"he said smiling at   
  
her. "why are u so happy?!"she questined angrily. His cheerfulness was getting on her nerves at this point. His smile widened   
  
as he answered her. "Well, it makes hard times so much easier to deal with if u dont show everyone how u feel". "Judging   
  
from the way u act, it seems like ur life's going pretty smoothly"she responded rudley. "But u can never tell if I smile   
  
about everything, can u?"he responded happily. "thats true i guess"she sighed. "Now, i have a questin for u"he said."Oh?and   
  
what would it be?"she said with fake interest. "Why are u so angry?"he said kindly. "Why should i tell u?"she said, getting  
  
angry again. "Becasue i asked kindly?".the boy said hopefully. "fine"she grunted"i was hurt when i was little, left to die   
  
and have wandered around for years going no where in particular". The boy held out his and to her and said "i'm Soujiro".She   
  
took his hand and shook it"Mayaki"she said.   
  
She started walking the direction she had been headed before she bumped into Shoujiro. "Where do u think ur going?"he   
  
asked simply. "The same place I'm always going, nowhere" she replied just as simply."I dont think so"he said, grabbing her   
  
arm. "let me go!"she said as she struggled. "Nope"he said. "and why not?!". "Because I know someone who will take care of u   
  
and give u a place to stay"Shoujiro smiled at her. So she walked with him. "will u let go of my arm now?"she asked."No   
  
Shoujiro answered."why not?"Mayaki said."u could run away". "Well, could u at least loosen up a bit. who knew from lookin  
  
that u had such a hard grip"she complained. "oh, i'm much stronger than that"he smiled. "really?"she asked. "oh yes, but i   
  
think someone else can teach u well". "who?". "u'll find out when we get there". They walked in silence until Soujiro   
  
lead her up to a temple.He walked through, dragging an confused Mayaki with him. A boy a bit younger then Soujiro run up.   
  
"soujiro!"he called as his face lit up. "what brings u here?"then he noticed Mayaki."and what's with the girl?". Outraged,   
  
Mayaki quickly slipped from Soujiro's grip and tried to attack the boy."how dare u!!"she yelled.Soujiro laughed at the two,   
  
the boy was obviously better trained but the girl was keeping up well. Then he stepped between the two and said"thats enough   
  
Yahiko, leave her alone". Reluctantly, the boy stepped away and stared at Soujiro. The girl still was glaring at him, but   
  
supported a few bruises in various places. "i've been in worse fights, Soujiro, I dont need to protect me"she growled. He   
  
simply smiled and said"we wouldnt want Kaoru and Ken to find u two fighting like this and have to rush u to Megumi's would   
  
we?"he laughed. So did the boy. "Imagine if Sano walked in to find me beating up this girl?"he said through his giggles.   
  
Shoujiro smiled at this and turned to Mayaki"U'll get along just fine here"he told her. "doubt it"she replied, glaring once   
  
more at the boy, Yahiko. Suddenly a black-haired lady came running out. "Yahiko did u do ur chores?"she yelled at the boy.   
  
"oh, hello Soujiro!!"she smiled. "Hello, who might u be?"she asked politely. Mayaki just stared at her, until a brown-haired  
  
man came out. Sano she guessed. "Hey missy, u making dinner soon?"he asked the lady. "Yea Sano, always glad to feed a   
  
free-loader like u"she teased. "come on Kaoru, i do some work!"he joked."Hey shoujiro, who's the girl?"he said. "Mayaki.   
  
I bumped into her a little way from here. Literally-"at this everyone laughed. "-she needs a place to stay and I thought if   
  
it was okay with u all..." The lady, Kaoru, brightened."Sure!"she said. Soujiro's smile widened. "u'll love it here. it may   
  
get a little hectic, but all in all its a great place"he said."a little?"scoffed Kaoru.Soujiro laughed. "Well, i have to go,  
  
bye!"he said as he waved and walked off. "Wait!"called Mayaki"What am I supposed to do?!"she cried."stay there! Koaru will   
  
take care of u. i'll visit soon!"he called back. She looked after him, even after she couldnt see him anymore.  
  
She started to walk away, when the man grabbed her arm and said"i dont think so,   
  
missy". "let me go! let me go!"she cried as she struggled. "nope"he laughed. She aimed a punch, but missed. He laughed.  
  
"what's so funny?"she asked, glaring. "nothing"he said innocently. "then let me go"she demanded. It was obvious he had no   
  
such thing planned. He dragged her ito the house and sat her in a room. "there"he said, setting her down. "now stay put".  
  
"no way, jerk"she replied coldly.He laughed. Then he walked out the door, somehow knowing she wouldnt move. a few hours later  
  
she lay on the mat, eyes closed, wondering what she was doing here. Then the door slowly, quietly slid open. But she had  
  
trained her eyes well. She turned her head sligtly to see who it was. Yahiko came in."Oh, i guess this is going to be ur room  
  
now"he said. "What, did u come to finish our fight?"she asked coldly. "no"he said, looking down at the floor as he walked   
  
toward her. "Look"he said, sitting next to her,"look, i'm sorry about before.forget about it, okay?". He looked over at her.   
  
And to both of their surprise, she looked up at him. In her eyes he saw pain, regret, sorrow, and sadness. But she smiled   
  
slightly at his words.  
  
From the door, Kaoru laughed quietly to herself. They were so sweet...She opened the door and pretended to be surprised   
  
that Yahiko was there. "oh, Yahiko!i didnt know u were in here. Well, miss Mayaki has to get settled in, so hurry out!"she   
  
said. Reluctantly, he left the room, but turned to smile at Mayaki as he walked away. She smiled back, then turned to Kaoru.  
  
"u should take a bath now, we can go shopping after that and get u some more clothes"she said, smiling. So Mayaki headed to   
  
the bath room. She was half way done when she was surprised to hear the door open. She looked up to see..Yahiko? "Oh my gosh,   
  
i'm sorry!"he said as he turned away. Both were blushing furiously as he walked out the door. When she was done, she went to   
  
find Kaoru. "Miss Kaoru?"she called. "over here Mayaki!". "oh, there u are!"she walked in to see Kaoru and Yahiko fighting   
  
with bokkens. "oh!"she said, amazed. "go Yahiko!"she cheered. He smiled back at her for a second, then continued his fight.  
  
"ur getting better"commented Kaoru. "wow...i wish i could fight like that..."Mayaki sighed. "oh but u can!"cried Yahiko. "u   
  
can take lessons from ugly over there just like me!". "really? i can?"she said. "sure!"said Kaoru,"now, lets go get some new   
  
clothes for u!". So the girls got on their sandals and walked to the store.  
  
Yahiko sighed and walked to his room. There was nothing to do. He lay down staring at the ceiling of his room. "so u really  
  
like the little missy, dont u Yahiko?"said a voice. Yahiko jerked up to see Sanoske in the doorway. "no! i mean.."he started.  
  
Sano laughed. Yahiko blushed feircly and ran out the room muttering"stuff to do. see ya later". 


	2. Surprise Visit

Facing the Truth  
  
A tale of Tragedy  
  
Kay-san: This is a story of a girl who has been throught many tragic hardships. Then she meets some people who will change   
  
her life forever. Here's chapter 2, Siye! *bows* gomen, gomen, i know it took a long time. i just couln't think of anything.  
  
Well, hope u like it minna-san!  
  
***Chapter 2-Surprise Visit/the many faces of Mayaki  
  
Yahiko walked on his way through town. He had asked tae where kaoru's favorite kimono shop was.  
  
*~*~*~FLASHBACK~*~*~*  
  
"Tae, do u know kaoru's favorite kimono shop?"Yahiko asked. "well yes, it's Kaishi-san's, right down the street infact"Tae   
  
answered. "but why do u want to know?". "oh, no reason really.."Yahiko lied. "oh, well ok then. see u little Yahiko". For   
  
once, Yahiko didn't yell about being called little. "bye!" he called as he walked out the door.  
  
*~*~*~END FLASHBACK~*~*~*  
  
Just as he got to the shop, out walked Kaoru and Mayaki. "Yahiko, what r u doing here?"Kaoru asked. "oh nothing really"was   
  
Yahiko's reply. The three walked back to the dojo, Mayaki and Kaoru chatting a bit, Yahiko silently. Until they got to the   
  
gates and heard some voices. They walked in, Mayakai hiding slightly behind Yahiko. "Misao-chan! What a surprise! Are u two   
  
staying for a while this time?"Kaoru started chatting with her younger friend. "M-misao-chan?"Mayaki asked quietly, stepping   
  
out from behind from Yahiko. Misao blinked, staring at the girl infront of her. "Mayaki-chan?"she asked.  
  
Both girls squealed and huged eachother. "Mayaki-chan it's been forEVER! O-genki desu ka? i see u finally found a place to   
  
stay". "Genki desu, Misao-chan. and yourself?"Mayaki asked. "Oh, i've been great! Aoshi-sama-". "Aoshi-sama?!"squealed   
  
Mayaki. "Aoshi-sama's here too?!". "Hai, he's right over there"said Misao, pointing to her beloved. "Aoshi-sama?"Mayaki   
  
questined the man sipping tea. "What?"he said. "aoshi-sama!"Mayaki cried happily, hugging the man and making him drop his   
  
tea. "please let go"he said. Mayaki let go and turned to Misao. "Same old Aoshi-sama!"she grinned. "Yup"agreed Misao"Hasn't   
  
changed a bit since u left!". "Erm, Misao-chan? Mayaki-chan?"Kaoru asked. "Hai?"they both said. "How exactly do u two know   
  
eachother?"Kaoru questined.  
  
"Oh! Well Mayaki-chan had stayed with us for a while after everything..."Misao tried to explain without hurting her   
  
chinkubanotomo(childhood friend). "Hai. i stayed with the Oniwabanashu for a few years. Misao-chan and i became quick   
  
friends"Mayaki informed the group. "Oh. well that's very nice, that it is. but it is dinner time now, so i must go make   
  
dinner for u all, that i must"said the red-haired man to the group. "Ok Kenshin" was the reply he got.  
  
***8 pm***  
  
"BATOSAI?!"a scream peirced the night air.  
  
"Shh! Mayaki! He's not the Batosai any more. Does he seem chimonamidamonai-like to u?"(chimonamidamonai-cold blooded, heart   
  
of stone, unfeeling)  
  
Mayaki and Yahiko sat on their own futons, which both had made sure were at least a yard apart. "Well, i guess not, but-"  
  
Mayaki tried to reason. "But nothing! Now he's Kenshin Himora, wandering samarai, who protects the innocent. he doesn't   
  
want to kill anyone, and he has a reverse-blade sword too!". "Reverse-blade?"Mayaki asked. "Yeah, the blade is on the   
  
other side so it can't kill, only injur. the only thing u have to worry about is all the people who come here wanting to kill  
  
the batosai". "that's aweful!"Mayaki said, very upset that people would do such a thing.  
  
"He got really scary during his fight with Saito. he was yosoyososhii and Kaoru was crying 'cuz he wouldn't come out of it".  
  
(yosoyososhii-cold, distant). Mayaki gasped, the thought frightening her very much. "Konnichi he's just a normal man like any  
  
one else"(konnichi-today). "oh. well that's good".  
  
Misao came in, and Yahiko left to let the girls catch up on the lost time. "G'night Misao-chan, Mayaki-chan"he said. "Ngiht   
  
Yahiko-san" both girls called after him, then continued chatting away til late at night.  
  
***The next morning***  
  
Everyone was gathered at the table eating. They were sitting in this order: Kaoru, Kenshin, Yahiko, Mayaki, Misao, Aoshi,   
  
Sano. The girls had their legs folded under them, as girls should, while the boys sat cross-legged. "Minna-san, would u all   
  
like to go out to the Akobeko tonight? To celebrate our friends' visit, and our new housemate?"kenshin asked politely.   
  
"As long as jou-chan or one of u pays, I'm all for it"(tell me u know who said that, please). "Sounds good to me"Yahiko   
  
agreed. The girls all thought this would be great fun, and agreed as well. 


	3. Party Time

Facing the Truth  
  
Chapter 2-Party time!  
  
kay-san: hey, minna-san! i'm finnally updating something! yatta! wow, this is rare. well anyways, i hope u enjoy this chapter  
  
cuz i have no clue what i have planned. on with the insanity! Hope u like this Siye-chan!!  
  
That night Mayaki could harly sleep. She had gotten to see her best friend, and 'aoshi-sama' and they were all going out to   
  
eat tomorro too! She lay on her futon thinking about what to wear, when the door slid open. "Mayaki-chan!"came a quiet call   
  
through the air. "Misao-chan? What are u doing in here this late at night?"Mayaki questined her good friend. "What do u think  
  
silly? To plan what we're wearing tomorro! and everything like that!". "W-what?". Misao sighed. "Tomorro. Akobeko. You. Me.   
  
Yahiko. Aoshi-sama. What to wear. get it?"(hehe, she still calls him aoshi-sama no matter what).  
  
Mayaki nodded slowly, as a grin crept onto her face. "We have to make u look like a princess, and Aoshi will be your prince!"  
  
"And u have to wear ur best too! Yahiko will just DIE when he sees u with ur hair up, with make-up and ur beautiful kimono!".  
  
The two girls squeals and giggled about such things for half an hour before Mayaki excitedly got to work. "ok, remember, to-  
  
night we're just planning what to wear and stuff, ok?"she said. "Yeah, yeah, i know"was her best friend's exasperated reply.  
  
Within an hour, they had decided Misao would have her hair braided, but not in one braid. In two. And the would be tied in   
  
buns behind her head. She would wear a forest green kimono, that matched her eyes and it had leaves all over it. It had a   
  
lighter shade of green for the obi, with matching ribbons to tie in her long, long hair. That with dark green eyeshadow, a   
  
deep red lipstick, and her smile just HAD to impress that ice-block that was Aoshi.  
  
Mayaki would put her long locks of midnight-black hair in a pony-tail, but leave a bit to fall infront of her face. Her   
  
kimono would be that of a rose, with petals flowing in a breeze, and even a few blossoms. The obi would be a lovely shade of   
  
tickle-me-pink, with matching eyeshadow and lipstick.  
  
The two girls sighed, content with their plans. Misao slipped back to her room, quiet as a mouse(or in this case a weasle^ ^)  
  
Mayaki took one last look at the outfit before laying down and getting to sleep.  
  
~~the next morning~~ *mayaki's p.o.v.*  
  
'Mmmm...something smells delicious'I thought. I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. With a yawn, i stood up and put   
  
on my usual kimono(a simple green one), glanced at my outfit for tonight, and bounded out with a grin. "Minna-san! I'm up!"  
  
i called. "Just in time for breakfast"Kenshin said happily. Taking my seat, I glanced at Misao, who grinned at me. I grinned   
  
back, at got to eating, though not nearly as savagly as Yahiko and Sanoske.  
  
While Kenshin took care of the laundry, I cleaned the floors. I ran up and down the dojo hall, and outside too, my kimono   
  
flapping in the wind. "All done!"i said, whiping the sweat from my head. "Well now, it is getting late, that it is. You   
  
should be getting ready for dinner Mayaki-dono, that you should!"was my reply from the red-haired hitokiri. "Alright Ken-  
  
san!"I called as i ran off to my room at top speed, grabbing walls to turn corners without falling.  
  
When I got there, my friend was already there and waiting. "What took you?!"she cried. "I was cleaning! Let's just get ready"  
  
and so we did. I undid her braid and made two of half the size, wrapping them around the back of her head. She had put on her  
  
kimono while she was waiting, apparently, so I helped apply her make-up. "Your turn!"  
  
So I put on the cherry-blossom kimono, tied the obi, and let Misao fiddle with my hair. A few slightly curly peices framed my  
  
face, while the rest hung in place on my head. Then she applied the lipstick and eyeshadow to my face. We were ready for   
  
dinner at the Akobeko now! And just in time, because there was a knock at the door and Sano complained"Are you girls done   
  
dressing YET?!". We giggled and slipped out the door. "Not too bad weasle-girl. But I think you still need more make-up. I   
  
recognised you". "Yahiko-san! That wasn't nice!"Mayaki said, whacking the boy upside the head.  
  
"Well now, you look nice missy, any reason why?"(you DO know who that was, right?). "N-no Sanoske! Not at all"she said with   
  
a slight blush. "Yeah, ya look real pretty Mayaki"said the younger boy. "Listen, Kenshin and Jou-chan already started heading  
  
over, so we gotta go too"Sano informed the group. "Alright, let's go!"Misao grinned, grabbing Mayaki by the arm and taking   
  
off. 


End file.
